Expansion joint



Nov. 21, 1939. l.. HUGHES ET Al.

EXPANSION JOINT Filed May 25, 1938 m mwf@ ATTO R N EYS VJITNESS Patented Nov. 21, 1939 EXPANSION JOINT i Lester Hughes and Robert Blackledge,

Blandinsville, Ill.

Application May 25, 1938, Serial No. 210,049 Y 3 Claims.

Our invention relates to concrete roadbeds and the like and includes among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved joint designed to compensate expansion and contraction of the roadbed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan'view of a roadbed showing our invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2--2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment selected to illustrateour invention, we 4make use of roadbed sections I0 and I2 which may comprise concrete and between which we position our expansion joint I4. The joint I4 comprises units I6 and I8, each of which includes a channel 20 having a length coextensive with the width of the roadbed. Each channel carries a plurality of lingers 22 which is cast integrally with its respective channel. Referring to Fig. l, it will be noted that the lingers of one channel are alternately positioned between the fingers of the other channel. Diagonal braces 24 are cast integrally with all the fingers of each channel and the bi'ght of that channel. Thus, the joint comprises two principal parts, each of which is cast as an integral unit. We prefer to employ malleable cast iron which is suitable for load carrying purposes and of sufficient strength to resist breaking.

Fig. 2 illustrates the Lipper surfaces of the fingers 22 as lying in a common plane, which surfaces also lie in a common plane with the outer surfaces of the anges 26 which, in turn, lie ush with the roadbed sections Ill and I2. Fig. 2 illustrates the overlapping relation between the two sets of lingers 22, which overlapping relation extends partly throughout the total length of the lingers so as to accommodate considerable expansion and contraction while still maintaining overlapping relation between the lingers. Each channel 2t is provided with a plurality of slots 28 terminating in enlarged openings 38. Anchor bolts 32 lie in the slots 28 and have heads 34 embedded in the concrete sections of the roadbed. The bolts may be provided with nuts 36 having pressure relation with their respective channel for anchoring that channel to its'respective section.

The enlarged openings 30 are of such diameter as to freely receive the bolt heads or nuts to permit assembly of the bolts with the channels after being laid in position. The bolts are then lowered into the bottom ends of the slots, and the concrete poured. After setting of the concrete, the units I6 and I8 are effectively anchored totheir respective roadbed sections.

In Fig. 3, we illustrate some of the lingers 22 as being keystone shaped in cross section, as at 5 38, and reversed in such manner as to resist relative vertical shifting. At the same time, some of the fingers 22 take the form of parallelograms in cross section, as at 40, which permits grouping'l of twokeystone lingers between two parallelo- 10 gram lingers so as to provide an arrangement in which relative vertical movement is resisted throughout the entire overlapping area of the ngers.

End plates 42 arevpositioned across the ends 15 n' of the units I6 and I8. One end plate 42 is connected with the unit I6 by bolts 44, which bolts are threaded into the outer diagonal brace 24 adjacent the plate. The other plate 42 is connected with the unit I8 by screws 46 threaded 20 into the diagonal brace 24 adjacent that plate. Thus, the plates provide complete closure for the ends of the assembled units while at the same time Vpermitting expansion and contraction there- These plates may be removed to lend accessibility for removing any material which might accumulate underneath the joint.

Our joint embodies a simple construction but one in which the upper surface is so designed as to provide a smooth load carrying surface. At the 30 same time, the joint is made up of relatively few parts which are electively anchored in the concrete road sections. The fingers 22 are capable of withstanding relatively heavy loads because of the diagonal braces 24 and because of 35 the intertting relation between the fingers.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service. 40

We claim:

1. In an expansion joint, a pair of units each including spaced lingers, the lingers of one unit being arranged in interfitting relation with the fingers of the other unit, said fingers having llat 45 angular contacting relation so arranged as to restrain the lingers from relative vertical movement.v

2. In an expansion joint, a pair of units each o including spaced lingers, the fingers of one unit being arranged in interlitting relation with the 'fingers of the other unit,l said lingers having flat angular contacting relation so arranged as to restrain the lingers from relative vertical move- 55 ment, but permitting relative longitudinal movement.

3. In a concrete roadbed including spaced sections, an expansion joint positioned between said sections, said expansion joint comprising two units and each unit having a means anchored to one section of the roadbed, a set of horizontal ngers carried by each of said means, With the ngers intertting and disposed longitudinally of the roadbed, said fingers having at side faces and the side faces of one set of lingers tting snugly With respect to the same faces of the other set of fingers, said side faces being angled with LESTER HUGHES. ROBERT BLACKLEDGE. 

